Flat hook fastener tape



July 27, 1937. L RosEMAN 2,087,925

FLAT HOOK FASTENER TAPE Filed May 14r 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet ll July 27, 1937. LfRosEMAN FLAT HOOK FASTEN ER TAPE Filed May 14, 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 NVENTOR ORNEY 3 Sheets-Sheet?, 3

TORNEY July 27, 1937 L Rost-:MAN

FLAT Hoox FAS'TENER TAPE Filed may 14, 1935 Passed July 27, 1937 l Le Bouman, Newark, N. J. Application -May 14, 1935, Serial No. 21,361

This invention'relatesin `general to fasteners and especially to\fasteners for garments -suchas-corsets. brassires and the like.

There are three commnforms of garment fastenerson tape. One type\is the hook and eye wherein the common plane ofthe shank 'and the bill of the hook as well as the axis of the eye are perpendicular to the general plane of the garment edges. Another is the head and socket fastener wherein the axes of the headand socket are perpendicular to the general plane of the garment edges and said edges must be overlapped to connect the heads and sockets. A third type is the so-called slide-operated or zipper type.

The hook and eye type and head and socket type have among others the disadvantage of bulkiness and forming of protuberances uncomfortable to the wearer, and moreover it is frequently dimcult to connect and disconnect the complemental fasteners, and in so doing it is necessary to manipulate the garment edges out of their own planes which when the garment is applied is sometimes inconvenient. Furthermore. the operation is slow and tedious.4 The zipper typeV causes puckering of thevgarment,` is frequently stiff due to the closely arranged metal fasteners, and, especially in tight fitting garments, the slide is frequently difficult if not impossible to operate.

Therefore, a prime object of my invention is to provide ra fastener embodying novel and improved features of construction which shall over-- come the above-mentioned difficulties and disadvantages, and shall bethin or have minimum bulk, shall have the complemental fastener elements connectible and disconnectible in the general plane of the garment edge, shall be flexi- -ble and easy to operate and permit disconnection of all the complemental fastener elements quickly at one time and inone simple relative move-v ment of the two -complemental sides of the fastener in the general plane and longitudinally of the garment edges to which the fastener is attached, and shall be simple and inexpensive in construction.

Further objects of the invention are to provide novel and improved fastener tape which shall embody two strips of fabric one -having iiat hooks preferably formed of sheet metal and secured to one strip with the plane of the hooks in sub` stantially the plane of the strip, the other stripV having a plurality ofapproximately flat eye or socket members to cooperate with said hooks and also formed of sheet metal and lying in substantially a common plane with the respective strip,

whereby there shall be a minimum of protuberances produced by the fastener elements; to provide novel and improved fastener elements of the general character described and novel andimproved meansffor securing them on support- 5 ing strips.

- Otherlobjects are to provide in combination,-

with a garment whichy has an opening extending from one end .thereof and terminating short of the other end, and fastener strips embodying my l0 invention secured to the edges of the opening, means connected to the garment adjacent theinner end of lthe garment opening at one side thereof and accessible at the end of the gement opposite that through which the opening extends, i5 for exerting tension on' the garment adjacent one side of the inner end of the opening to facilitate disconnection of the fastener elements; and to obtain other advantages and resultsas will be brought out by the following description. '20 Referring to the accompanying drawings in which corresponding and like parts are designated by the same reference characters throughout the several views, f

ing the fastener elements connected toclose the '30 closure gap in the garment.

Figure 3 is a similar view showing the manner of disconnecting the fastener elements.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary inside elevation oi.' the garment adjacent the closure. '35 Figure 5 is a transverse sectional view through two complemental fastener strips.

Figure 6 is a detached perspective view of the two complemental hook and socket fasteners.

Figure 7 is a composite plan view of two sides 40 of the garment closure in separated relation.

y Figure 8 is a similar view showing the manner I of connecting the fastener elements.

Figure 9 is a like view showing the two sides of the closure secured together.

Figure 10 is a rear elevation or plan viewof the closure shown in Figure 9.

Figure 11 is an enlarged transverse sectional View on the line II-il of Figure 9.

Figure 12 is a fragmentary view similar to Fig- 50 ure 9 showing the socket members in section to more clearly illustrate the manner of connection of the hook members and socket members.

Figure 13 is a view similar to Figure 9 showing 5 the manner of simultaneously connecting all of the hook and socket members.

Figure 14 is a fragmentary sectional perspective view through the hook fastener strip.

Figure 15 is a similar view through the socket or eye fastener strip. 1

Figure 16 is a like view showing a modification of the fastener strip.

Figure 17 is a composite view of three forms of the hook fastener element.

Figure 18 is a plan view of the hook fastener strip showing the manner of securing the fastener elements to the strip.

Figure 19 isan enlarged plan view of the edges of the garment closure in separated relation, with portions broken away and showing the manner of securing the fastener elements to the strip and the strip to the garment.

Figure 20 is a similar view showing modified forms of the hook and eye fastener elements.

Figure 21 is a transverse sectional view on the line 2I-2I of Figure 19.

Figure 22 is a fragmentary plan view showing another manner of securing the strip to the garment and Figure 23 is a perspective View of a modification of the fastener element.

For the purpose of illustrating the principles of the invention I have shown my fastener in connectionwith a corset A which has a longitudinal opening B extending inwardly from the upper end of the garment to facilitate donning of the garment, and in accordance with the invention the edges C and D of this opening have attached thereto complemental fastener tapes embodying my invention for closing the opening.

According to one form of the invention, each tape includes a strip I of suitable material folded upon itself as at 2 (see Figure 15) or may comprise two separate strips of material 3 and I (see Figure 14); and between the free edge portions of the strips, are arranged in spaced relation longitudinally of the strips, the respective hook elements 5 and socket or eye elements 8.

Each hook element is shown as comprising a flat piece of sheet metal having a base portion 1 of approximately rectanguular plan with a laterally projecting hook at one edge including a shank 8 projecting at approximately right angles from the edge and terminating in a bill 9 which is approximately parallel with the edge of the base 'l and perpendicular to the shank in a common plane with the base.

Each eye or socket member includes a flat piece of metalhaving aebase IIi also approximately rectangular in planl and provided with a lateral extensionv II atoneendof which is a socket or .l tubular eye I2 whiclris vpreferably integral and formed by bending up a- `tongue extension of the piece of metal Vas shown in Figure 15. The socket I2 is of a size and shape to freely receive the bill 9 of a hook element. and the general longitudinal axis of the socket is parallel with the general plane of the base I 0.

Each of the base portions 1 and I0 of the hook and socket fastener elements respectively is provided with a slot I3 to receive stitches.

The fastener elements are secured to the respective tapes I by a line of stitches Il extending longitudinally of the tape and penetrating both plies thereof, and transverse stitches I5 and I6 passing through the respective slots I3 and the plies of the tape. These stitches overlie the portions of the bases 1 and I0 at opposite sides of the respective slots, and the stitches I5 preferably pass around the edges of the plies of the tape tc form abutments for the outer edges of' the bases of the fastener elements, all as clearly shown in Figure 19.

One manner of securing the fastener tapes to the edges C and D of the garment opening is shown in detail in Figures 9 and 1l. The tapes are laid upon the edge portions of the garment and are then overlaid by facing strips I8 and l@ respectively, and the facing strips and tapes are secured together and to the garment edge portions by longitudinal lines of stitches 20 and 2i. Preferably the edges of the garment and the facing strips I8 and I9 are secured together by linea of stitches 22 which draw the edges of the garment and facing strips close together to overlie the edges of the'fastener tapes I as more clearly shown in Figures 11 and 22. The line of stitches 22 will have skip stitches or jump stitches leaving gaps 23 through which the hook Iportions and eye portions of the fastener elements project as clearly shown in Figure 11.

Another manner of securing the fastener tapes to the edge portion of the garment is shown in Figure 22 where the edge portion of the garment is turned vunder inwardly of the edges of the tapes as at 2l and secured to the tapelby a longitudinal line of stitches 25 which may penetrate only the turned under .ply`26 of the garment edge or both thicknesses of the garment.

A modification of the fastener strip is shown in Figure 16 and comprises a single strip of material 28 folded upon itself and having slits iii) in its fold through which the hook portions and eye portions of the fastener elements project. 'I

With this form of the invention, the fold of the material forms an abutment for the edges of the bases of the fastener elements so as to reenforce the attachment of the fastener elements to the strip'against strains on the fastener elements when they are in use, and prevent direct contact of the fastener elements with stitches.

With the fastener tapes applied to the opposite edge portions C and D of the garment as shown in Figures 11, 2, 3, and 7 to 9 inclusive, it will be observed that the hook bills 9 may be slipped through the eyes or sockets I2 of the complemental fasteners by relative longitudinal movement of the tapes or garment edges in substantially the planes of the garment edges or the tape. This action is more specifically illustrated in Figure 8. The lateral extension II of the base of each eye= element extends beyond one end of the eye with its surface iiush with one wail of theJ eye to guide the hook into the eye. It will also be observed that the hook bills after having once been connected to the eye elements may all be sinniltaneously disconnected from the eye elements by relative longitudinal movement of the edge portions of the garment as shown in Figure 3, that is, by pulling the two edge portions in opposite directions as indicated by the arrows of Figure 3. Where the garment opening terminates short of' one end of the garment as in Fig= ures 1- to 3 inclusive, a member such as a pull cord or ribbon 30 may have one end secured to' the inside of the garment adjacent the inner end of one edge portion with the other end of the cord projecting beyond the end of the garment. With this construction, the wearer of the garment may grasp the pull cord with one hand, and the end of the garment opposite the pull cord and at the other edge of the garment opening with the other hand and exert tension in opposite directions. The connection Vand daa connection of the fastener elements can therefore be effected easily and quickly.

I t will also be observed that the hook elements and eye elements are substantially at and in a common plane with the edges of the garment opening so that there is a minimum of bulk in the garment closure, and the fastener elements produce a minimum of proturberance so as not to be felt lby nor cause discomfort to the wearer and so as to provide a neat appearance. With-my construction also, there is no danger of the bills of the hooksdigging into the flesh of the wearer either during connection of the hooks to the eyes or during wearing of the garment, nor do the fastener elements protrude at any time in such a way as to be protuberances in for exam ple very thin outergarments. Moreover, the strains on the fastener elements are imposed edgewise of the sheet metal so that there will be a minimum tendency to bending or distorting of the fastener elements', and great strength in the fastener is ensured. All of this is in sharp contrast to the ordinary hook and eye fasteners wherein the common plane of the bill and shank of the hook is perpendicular to the general plane of the fastener tape or garment edge. i

The bill portion 9 of the hook may be exactly parallel to the base 'l as shown at X in Figure 17 or slightly inclined with respect to the base as shown at Y in Figure 17 and in Figures 3, 6 and' 12. With the latter construction, the inclination of the hook bili tends to restrain accidental slipping of the hook portions from the complemental eyes, although in all forms of the invention the tension upon the hooks and eyes will restrain accidental disconnection of the fastener elements. i

Also, the fastener element may be approximately square as shown at X in Figure 17 or the base may be extended at 32 beyond the shank of the hook to permit additional stitches traversing the extension and thereby provide more secure'attachm'ent of the fastener element to the tape. l

In some cases, where the fastener tapes are secured to the edges of the garment which are longitudinally movable throughout their length, it is possible to simultaneously connect all of the hook elements and eye elements by relative longitudinal movement of the edge portions of thel garment as shown in Figure 13.

In all forms of the invention, the facing strip I9 on the eye side of the fastener will preferably although not necessarily, be extended beyond the edge of the tape and the corresponding edge oi' the garment as at 33 to provide a, protecting nap for the fastener elements and prevent contact of the fastener elements with the underclothi or flesh of the wearer.

Ir'i some cases it may be desirable to round the edges of the bases of the fastener elements as indicated at 34 in Figure 23 to ensure a minimum of wear of the fabric of the tape and garment by the fastener elements.

While I have shown and described the invention as embodied in certain details of construction it should be understood thatthis is primarily for the purpose of illustrating the principles oi the invention and that many modifications and changes may be made in the details of structure `and use of the invention without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention.

Having thus described my invention what I claim is: l

1. A fastener comprising two strips of flexible fabric each having a plurality of plies, one having a plurality of hook elements secured thereto in spaced relation longitudinally thereto, each including a base and an integral hook secured onV said strip between said plies with the hook eir-I tending parallel to the edge 'of the strip from between said plies, and a plurality oi' eye fastener elements complemental to said hookelements each secured on the other strip between its plies and having an integral tubular eye projecti from the edge of the strip between said plies and whose longitudinal axis lis parallel to said edge, said hook elements and eye elements being connectible and disconnectible by relative lungitudinal movement of the strips in substantially a common plane and said strips being freely fieldible between said hook elements and said eye elements respectively, and a guide at and project@ ing beyond one end of each eye having a suru face flush with one wall of the eye to guide the hook into the eye.

2. The fastener set forth in claim 1 whe each eye fastener element includes a flat sheet metal base which is secured between the plies of the respective strip, and the eye of each. eye element consists of an integral tongue extension at one edge of the base returned upon itself to form a tubular eye, and said guide is formed by a projection of said tongue extension at one end of the tubular eye.

= LEO ROSEMAN.

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